Red Tailed Black Sharks
- Thread starter wilson
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
iheartmyfish
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
when did you get him? i had purchased a green spotted puffer, and i know hes completely diff from your red tail, but he is still adjusting and getting comfy. its been a lil over 2 weeks and hes finally come to realize im mommy and mommy = good. 
my gsp before him was definitely outgoing and was all about people his first hour in his new home.
maybe your red-tail is just settling in, making sure hes safe there- which im sure he is!! i have a columbian shark and boy does she have to be center of attention. that shark of mine is like a puppy, its all about her 24-7
~goodluck~
ps, hows your water in the tank? have you tested it?
my gsp before him was definitely outgoing and was all about people his first hour in his new home. maybe your red-tail is just settling in, making sure hes safe there- which im sure he is!! i have a columbian shark and boy does she have to be center of attention. that shark of mine is like a puppy, its all about her 24-7
~goodluck~
ps, hows your water in the tank? have you tested it?
Menagerie
Aquarium Advice Addict
Wilson--double check your water parameters! Never can be too safe 
well im still kind of embarassed. but i forgot to get test kits when i was at the lfs, thats why i never siad anything.(i can be very forgetful sometimes.) so either next time i go to the lfs ill get some, or im going to be ordering some stuff off the net and i will get some there. What ones do you suggest agan?
Thanks
Thanks
iheartmyfish
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
i would suggest liquid test kits, not the test strips! theyre a little more pricey, but theyre accurate while the test strips are not. i would suggest getting nitrate, nitrite, amnonia, ph and hardness. you can just get a 'master test kit' and it comes with all of these for about 20-30 dollars.
LAGlocker
Aquarium Advice Freak
Also do you only have one red tailed shark? If so, they do better in groups. I have 5 of them and they are in constant motion. They can get picky with other fish if you only have one, if you have at least three they stay amongst themselves mostly with their own little peecking order.
JamesShall
Aquarium Advice Regular
I have had one RTS for the last 6 months and it's kind of shy. It likes to hang out in holes in a big driftwood log I have as well as some large holes in a rock that in the tank too.
I have heard that it's better to have one RTS rather than 2 or 3. They are territorial and will fight with each other. I have also heard that if you put in 4 or more then they stop all that nonsense and get along well.
It's fun to catch the RTS hiding in the driftwood and another fish comes past it's hide-a-way. The RTS sometimes with jump out and chase the fish away! I have seen it chase fish for over 40 seconds before! Just straight CHASING non-stop!
It used to boss all the fish away from frozen food and hog it all. I added more fish/competition and it's stopped doing that.
I have heard that it's better to have one RTS rather than 2 or 3. They are territorial and will fight with each other. I have also heard that if you put in 4 or more then they stop all that nonsense and get along well.
It's fun to catch the RTS hiding in the driftwood and another fish comes past it's hide-a-way. The RTS sometimes with jump out and chase the fish away! I have seen it chase fish for over 40 seconds before! Just straight CHASING non-stop!
It used to boss all the fish away from frozen food and hog it all. I added more fish/competition and it's stopped doing that.
Cichlidguy
Aquarium Advice Regular
Well said James. What size is your tank wilson?? He will be fine on his own, but if your considering more you'll need to get 4-6 more.
my tank is 37-40 gallons. it is stocked with this: 2 angelfish, 1 neon tetra, 1 albino cory cat fish, 1 pleco, 1 otto I think that I barely ever see, 2 platies, 3 glowlight tetras and 1 annostomus cigar fish, and 2 painted glassfish. and 2 dwarf gouramis(one neon blue or powder blue, and the other is a red one(dont remember name) these have been somewhat shy too but are starting to come ou t more. the next time i go to the lfs, i have to get a cave for the rtbs, because my cigar fish has taken over the one i had in the ttank. so what do u think i shoul do.
I just found someone to take a 2 of my SAEs and decided to purchase another RTS. I have had it for 3 weeks now by itself and it is not shy at all. It has not established any territory of its own yet as there are a few other territorial fish in my tank. It does chase after the one remaining SAE but the plant growth in my tank is enough to keep the SAE hidden most of the time.
The only time I notice my RTS being shy or attempting to hide is when my angelfish chases after it...the angelfish apparently does not like another large colorful fish to be suddenly added to "its territory". Other than that I always see the RTS swimming about (it is almost 3" in length and the angelfish is about 7" including fins).
The only time I notice my RTS being shy or attempting to hide is when my angelfish chases after it...the angelfish apparently does not like another large colorful fish to be suddenly added to "its territory". Other than that I always see the RTS swimming about (it is almost 3" in length and the angelfish is about 7" including fins).
ScottS
Aquarium Advice Freak
Big tank with lots of defined territory to stake out if you want multiple Red-Tail Sharks and a chance of them not ripping in to each other. Further, not just one or two additional. In other words, just keep one if you want smooth sailing. Otherwise, they really aren't the most active fish and will tend to hide a lot, which is unfortunate as beautiful as they are. They claim their territory and stick to it.
I have read that Red Tailed Black Sharks will grow more aggressive as they get older too. My LFS said that they can keep several in 1 tank because they are babies, but that as they get older, they begin to quarrel more and more with their own species.
I plan on getting one here in a month or so, but just one. I've read they get to be 4", and if you have to have 4 or 5 to keep more than 1, I'd rather just have 1 and a nice mix of other fish...
Also, I've read that some people get a tube or something along that line and then bury it under the gravel for the RTS. People who have done that say they love it.
Paul
I plan on getting one here in a month or so, but just one. I've read they get to be 4", and if you have to have 4 or 5 to keep more than 1, I'd rather just have 1 and a nice mix of other fish...
Also, I've read that some people get a tube or something along that line and then bury it under the gravel for the RTS. People who have done that say they love it.
Paul
If you decide to get more, bear in mind how big these fish get, 6inches or so and quite bulky. I have a Rainbow shark who doesn't do much while the lights are on but the moment you turn them out he is out doing his thing all night long.
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